Is it Almost That Time Again?

[addicted2dvd]

I got thinking today... it is only a little over 3 months before October... and my Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon will be here once again. As I am sure most of you that was either here or at Invelos last year remember  that I was unable to do my month long marathon due to the sickness and then death of my mother. Which to be completely honest I am still working through as we were extremely close.

For those of you that don't know what my Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon is... it is where I see how much horror or Halloween movies, TV Show episodes and other (shorts/documentaries) I can watch within the one month. This is something I have been doing for many years now... start when I was in my early teens. Matter of fact here is a write up I did a while back about my love or horror and the start of my marathons...

Every since I was a young boy of about 10 years old I have been a huge fan of pretty much anything and everything horror. Because of this I absolutely loved when October came around. It is a time of the year when what I love every day of the year is the norm and celebrated by all. Horror movies coming on all channels pretty much any time of the day.

How It All Started:

I will never forget how my love of horror started. When I was about 10 years old or so I had trouble sleeping one night. We had just gotten cable hooked up that day and I was still excited by all the channels we had. Especially a channel that was showing movies uncut and commercial free… a channel called HBO. I thought wow! What an idea! I was mesmerized by the possibilities. Towards the middle of the night I was still tossing and turning in my bed as my family slept. What else could I do? I got up and sneaked back into the living room where the only TV in the house was at that time. When I got out there I went straight to HBO wondering what I would see. I was very lucky as a movie was just about to start. That movie was “The Shinning” starring Jack Nicholson. Without even an idea of what it would be I settled in for the movie. While watching it I was both excited and scared. I was pretty much jumping at every sound in the house. Combine that with the fear of getting caught watching TV when I was supposed to be in bed. The adrenalin was really flowing! By the end of the movie I was completely hooked. All I wanted to do is watch more horror movies. Luckily my mother didn’t concern herself with me loving horror so much. She pretty much knew even at that young age I was mature enough to handle it. She was just a little concerned about me sleeping at night. But for me that just never was a problem. I started out being scared during the movie itself then fine afterwards. But through the years that changed. Before I knew it no matter how “scary” the movie was said to be they just did not scare me. I loved every second of them, but there was no being scared watching a movie. I was quick to come to the realization that horror movies are nothing more then fake situations and I was having fun watching them all.

My Horror Marathons:

It didn’t take me long to get the idea of horror marathons for Halloween. I was already at the age of no more trick or treating. So what better to do on Halloween then watch horror movies? My marathon idea actually started as a one night deal where my friends and I would go to the local video store and rent a handful of movies to watch after school into that night. My friends and I did it like that for several years. This was until I started collecting movies. Once I got a good collection of horror movies I upgraded my marathon to the week of Halloween. For the most part I was watching them alone as my friends would only come over one night, being Halloween night. The week long marathon went on for many years. Into the years of collecting DVDs as I never really got into collecting movies until I started collecting DVDs. About five years ago is when I made the jump to month long horror marathons. The idea of a whole month of horror was just too good not to attempt. The month long marathon went well but I found myself burning out a little towards the end of the month. But that was easily cured by a small break in November away from horror. In the early days of the month long marathon my main goal was always to be sure to watch at least one horror movie every day in the month. But it did not take me long at all to beat my last year’s total number watched. The very next year I found myself with two goals to my marathon. Then about two years ago another bright idea came to me. As much as I love collecting my TV series there had to be a way to incorporate them into my marathon as well. That is when I thought it would be great to not only allow horror series but Halloween episodes of any series into my marathon. That was the birth of my Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon. This gives me yet another goal as I try to beat my total of TV series episodes as well as my total number of movies and at least one show per day. Just last year I had my greatest marathon achievement when I beat all 3 goals. I ended up watching 84 Horror movies and 34 TV series episodes within the month. I was asked many times, why a month long marathon? The answer is simply my love of horror. I love every second of it, and I like to challenge myself when it comes to this hobby.

But also every year I abstain from horror for 2 to 3 months before October... as I figure it is the only way I will beat my current best.  As my current best (from 2008) is...

Movies: 100
TV Episodes: 45
Other: 4 (This one is from 2009)

You can check out my past Marathons...
Horror/Halloween Marathon: 2007
Horror/Halloween Marathon: 2008
Horror/Halloween Marathon: 2009 (Failed Attempt)

Right now I am fighting whether or not I want to abstain from horror this year. And if so for how long. I will not do it any earlier then July.... meaning I would have to abstain from horror for 3 full months. But now I am afraid to abstain from my all time favorite genre for so long... just in case something happens that I am unable to do my marathon again like last year.

So I guess what I am trying to figure out is do I want to abstain this year... and if I do... for how long... 1, 2 or 3 months?

[Kathy]

I never understood the need (want?) to abstain from one your life's enjoyments. 

  You own so many horror DVDs, many of which you haven't seen, I don't think it would have any impact on your marathon. Life is too short to give up something you enjoy. 

[Jimmy]

For what I understand it's a way for Pete to get a lot more enjoyment when comes the time to start the marathon. It's like meeting an old friend you haven't seen since a long time and you have a lot of thing to share...

Pete I like to tease you on that but wait for august this year (you haven't watch that much horror recently). 2 months is more than enough for you and whatever date you will decide to stop I will do the same as usual (even if some good horror movies are on my way this summer).

One thing for sure, I won't watch only cheap movies this year since it burned me fast last year

[addicted2dvd]

very true... but what it may do is effect the desire to watch the many titles per day I would have to watch to beat my current best of 100 movies in 31 days (not to mention the TV Episodes and Other).

I mean I will have to average...

Per Day:
- 4 movies
- 2 TV Eps

Per Week:
- 2 Other

to beat my current best.

[addicted2dvd]

For what I understand it's a way for Pete to get a lot more enjoyment when comes the time to start the marathon. It's like meeting an old friend you haven't seen since a long time and you have a lot of thing to share...

This is also true... there is more enjoyment of it after an absence. 

Pete I like to tease you on that but wait for august this year (you haven't watch that much horror recently). 2 months is more than enough for you and whatever date you will decide to stop I will do the same as usual (even if some good horror movies are on my way this summer).

One thing for sure, I won't watch only cheap movies this year since it burned me fast last year

I was thinking 1 or 2 months would be good enough too. But Jimmy... you will be doing some low budget ones right? I mean bow about an October/Halloween tradition of watching The Sorority... what you Say?




Just kidding Jimmy!... lets not go there! 

[Jimmy]

But Jimmy... you will be doing some low budget ones right? I mean bow about an October/Halloween tradition of watching The Sorority... what you Say?

Of course a lot of those in the 2 awfull boxsets I bought last year aren't watch yet and I own you some bad movies dare... So I won't have a choice to even let you pick some title

[addicted2dvd]

oohhhhh!.... The power! 

[Achim]

My Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon
2009

[...]

Totals
Movies:
Goal: 101
Viewed: 23
Left: 78
TV Eps.:
Goal: 46
Viewed: 12
Left: 34
Other:
Goal: 3
Viewed: 4
Left: I MADE IT!

Horror/Halloween Marathon: 2009 (Failed Attempt)

 

In 2009 you proclaim: "I made it" (sounds positive)

In 2010 you call that same marathon a failed attempt...?

What am I missing?


Other than that I cannot see how a month of watching dozens of movies and more TV shows can possibly be called a failure.

[Tom]

In 2009 you proclaim: "I made it" (sounds positive)

In 2010 you call that same marathon a failed attempt...?

What am I missing?

The "I made it" was for the "Other" section. Not for his overall goal for that year. You can see, that Pete wanted to watch 78 more movies and 34 more TV episodes.

[addicted2dvd]

Last year was for Other only

[addicted2dvd]

In 2009 you proclaim: "I made it" (sounds positive)

In 2010 you call that same marathon a failed attempt...?

What am I missing?

The "I made it" was for the "Other" section. Not for his overall goal for that year. You can see, that Pete wanted to watch 78 more movies and 34 more TV episodes.

Thanks Tom

[Achim]

Thanks, it seemed like I was missing something...

Well, at least you only need to beat the score from 2 years ago then

[addicted2dvd]

Yeah... but it is still a high one to beat! It is now to the point of I don't know if I can do any better. At least for the movies.

[Rick]

You want to do better? Add The Rocky Horror Picture Show as one of your movies. 

[addicted2dvd]

That is one movie that I will never add to my collection. The only way it would is if some smart-ass gave it to me as a gift! Then I would feel honored bound to watch it once anyway.

But don't get no ideas!!!